Experiencing God Week 5 Crisis of Belief 06/14/26

Devotional

Day 1: When Ordinary Bushes Burn Without Consuming

Moses tended sheep in Midian’s monotony when fire erupted in a bush that refused to be devoured. God’s presence interrupts routines, not to entertain but to invite. Holy ground isn’t found in grand cathedrals but in surrendered moments where heaven’s voice drowns out earthly rhythms. What looks like another day becomes a divine appointment when we turn aside to see. [37:13]

“And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, ‘I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.’” (Exodus 3:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: Where is God inviting you to “turn aside” from routine to recognize His presence? What ordinary moment might become holy ground if you paused to listen?

Day 2: Assignments Too Big for Backpacks

God called Moses to confront Pharaoh and liberate millions—a task no shepherd’s staff could manage. Divine assignments always exceed human capacity, forcing dependence on the One who authors the mission. Like Moses, we mistake God’s call for a burden rather than an invitation to witness His power eclipse our limitations. [46:31]

“Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:10, ESV)

Reflection: What God-sized task have you resisted because it feels beyond your skills or strength? How might this assignment exist to showcase His power, not yours?

Day 3: Excuses Expose Our View of God

Moses’ “Who am I?” and “What if they don’t listen?” revealed more about his perception of God than his abilities. Every objection we raise—about our past, our voice, our fears—betrays whether we trust the “I AM” or idolize the “I can’t.” Crisis moments strip away spiritual platitudes, exposing raw belief. [55:04]

“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’” (Exodus 3:11, ESV)

Reflection: Which of your current excuses (“I’m not…”, “They won’t…”, “I can’t…”) most reveals where you doubt God’s sufficiency?

Day 4: Faith Sits in the Chair It Praises

Moses argued with God for 40 verses but ultimately packed his family and staff. True faith isn’t agreement with theology but action fueled by trust. Like testing a chair’s strength by sitting, we prove our belief in God’s promises when we move toward His call despite unanswered questions. [01:08:47]

“So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.” (Exodus 4:20, ESV)

Reflection: What step of obedience have you delayed until having “more clarity”? How can you act this week on what God has already revealed?

Day 5: The Invitation Still Burns

The burning bush wasn’t a one-time spectacle but a pattern—God continually interrupts lives with holy summons. Whether salvation, surrender, or service, every crossroads asks: Will you admire God’s presence or obey His voice? The bush still burns where obedience feels risky, relationships need mending, or fears demand facing. [01:14:21]

“But he said, ‘Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.’” (Exodus 4:13, ESV)

Reflection: Where are you currently saying “send someone else” to God’s call? What makes this surrender feel costlier than the alternative of missing His purpose?

Sermon Summary

Reality Five names the turning point where God’s invitation creates a crossroads that requires trust and movement. God is already at work, God pursues a real love relationship, God invites people into his work, and God speaks. But the question shifts from has God spoken to will a believer trust him enough to obey. Moses stands as the picture. The wilderness years look like failure, but God calls from a bush that burns and is not consumed to show that God’s work must be done God’s way. The burning bush is not about having a moment. The burning bush is about following the God who speaks.

God’s presence requires faith. Holy ground does not flatter the self, it reorients it. God calls Moses by name, commands his sandals off, declares his covenant name, and ties the call to his character. The encounter is not a pep talk. The encounter is the beginning of obedience. Faith is confidence in what God promised, not sight, so God points Moses away from “Who am I?” to “I will be with you.” The name I AM answers inadequacy with sufficiency.

God’s assignment is God sized. God sees, hears, knows, and comes down to rescue, then says, Therefore go, I am sending you. The mission remains God’s, but the instrument is Moses. The size is intentional so dependence will be real and glory will be God’s. God does not look for the most capable. God looks for the most available. “God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called.”

The crisis exposes what a person actually believes about God. Moses cycles through the familiar excuses: self-doubt, fear of people, lack of eloquence, and at last the honest prayer, Please send someone else. Each excuse shrinks God and inflates self. God keeps answering with presence, promise, power, and provision. The issue is not giftedness. The issue is surrender.

True faith requires action. Agreement without movement is not faith. Moses finally packs the donkey and goes. He does not get the whole plan, only the next step, and that is enough. Faith sits in the chair. The Red Sea, the plagues, the manna, and the pillar are all on the far side of yes. So the church stands at the same crossroads. Do not just admire the burning bush. Respond to God’s voice. Spiritual growth begins when excuses stop and steps of obedience start.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s invitation creates a crossroads. [29:57] The crisis of belief is not whether God has spoken but whether the heart will trust him enough to follow. Confidence rises when the subject shifts from self to the presence of God. The crossroads exposes whether comfort, control, or Christ will lead the next step. [29:57]
2. The burning bush calls for surrender. [38:47] Holy ground is not given to fuel spiritual feelings but to start obedience. God reveals himself to command sandals off, hearts low, and feet moving. When God speaks, the encounter is the beginning, not the payoff. [38:47]
3. God sized assignments expose dependence. [46:31] The call is deliberately beyond personal capacity so the source of power is unmistakable. If the task is manageable, the temptation is to manage it without God and take the credit. God designs the work so that dependence is necessary and glory is his. [46:31]
4. Excuses reveal a God-view problem. [53:31] Who am I, what if they reject me, I am not eloquent, and send someone else all sound practical but spring from unbelief. God answers each fear with I will be with you and I AM. The heart grows when God’s sufficiency becomes bigger than personal limits and public opinion. [53:31]
5. Faith moves before answers arrive. [01:07:17] Obedience resolves the crisis, not comprehension. God often gives the next step, not the whole staircase, so trust can be personal and live. Agreement without action keeps a person in Midian, but movement opens the door to experience God. [67:17]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[26:15] - VBX recap and gospel fruit
[27:25] - Experiencing God series setup
[29:38] - Crossroads after God speaks
[29:57] - Reality Five stated
[33:18] - Moses in Midian background
[37:56] - Holy ground at the bush
[38:47] - Encounter requires faith
[46:31] - God sized assignment explained
[53:31] - Response reveals true belief
[56:50] - I AM and divine sufficiency
[59:54] - God equips the called
[63:49] - True faith requires action
[66:34] - First step before full plan
[74:21] - Do not just admire the bush

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Exodus 3:1-12 (ESV)
1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey... 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you...”

Observation Questions

What specific reasons did God give Moses for why He wanted to rescue Israel (Exodus 3:7-8)?
How did Moses initially respond to God’s call in Exodus 3:11, and what does this reveal about his focus?
In the sermon, what phrase was used to describe how God’s assignments are designed to require dependence on Him? [46:31]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God emphasized His presence (“I will be with you”) rather than Moses’ qualifications when addressing Moses’ doubts?
The sermon stated, “Excuses reveal a God-view problem” [53:31]. How did Moses’ excuses (Exodus 3:11, 4:1, 4:10) reflect a limited understanding of God’s character?
What does the burning bush symbolize about how God’s work differs from human effort, according to the sermon? [39:59]

Application Questions

What “Midian” season (a time of feeling stuck or defined by past failures) are you currently in or have experienced? How might God be using it for preparation rather than punishment?
Identify one excuse you’ve used recently to avoid obeying God (e.g., “I’m not qualified,” “Someone else should do it,” “I’m afraid of rejection”). How does that excuse shrink God’s sufficiency in your mind?
The sermon said, “Faith moves before answers arrive” [01:07:17]. What is one “next step” God has already shown you that requires obedience, even if the full plan isn’t clear?
How could shifting your focus from “Who am I?” to “I AM with you” change your response to a current challenge or calling?
What practical habit could help you prioritize action over agreement when God speaks (e.g., journaling steps, accountability, setting deadlines)?

Sermon Clips

46s

#GodSizedCall

“But eventually, every believer reaches a crossroads. You come to a point knowing what God wants is one thing, but choosing to trust him enough and obey is another. And this is where reality five comes into play. This is reality five. God's invitation for you to work with him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. When God invites you to join him in his work, he has a God sized assignment for you. You will quickly realize that you are not able to do this on your own. If God doesn't help you, you will fail.”

49s

#ChooseObedience

“The greatest moments of Moses' life were waiting on the other side of active obedience. As we wind down here, I want you to think on this question, what has God been asking you to do? Again, may not have shown up to you in this burning bush or whatever you wanna say. Couldn't have been this huge spectacle but what has god been asking you to do? Because again, Moses stood at a crossroads here. God had spoken. God had revealed himself. God had given his promises. Moses has to decide what he's going to do with God's invitation.”

40s

#FaithInAction

“For chapters three and four, Moses had been talking, he'd been questioning, he'd been doubting, he'd been making excuses, but eventually, there came a moment where talking had to stop and Moses had to react. Obedience had to begin. The crisis of belief here was not resolved when Moses understood everything. The crisis of belief was resolved when Moses simply obeyed. Faith is not proven by what you know, faith is proven by what you do with what God has said.”

42s

#StepIntoTrust

“You can believe a chair will hold you up, You can say things like, it looks sturdy, it looks comfortable, it's gonna hold me up. You can tell everyone and yourself that it's gonna support my weight, I'm good, but you don't truly trust the chair until you sit down in it. Faith requires action. There has to be action put into it. Moses' experiences God through obedience. Moses did not experience the plagues, the Passover, the Red Sea, and God's provision and God's power while sitting in Midian. Those things came later.”

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Experiencing God Week 5 Crisis of Belief 06/14/26

Devotional

Day 1: When Ordinary Bushes Burn Without Consuming

Day 2: Assignments Too Big for Backpacks

Day 3: Excuses Expose Our View of God

Day 4: Faith Sits in the Chair It Praises

Day 5: The Invitation Still Burns

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Experiencing God Week 5 Crisis of Belief 06/14/26

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